Movable partitions are utilized in numerous situations and environments for a variety of purposes. Such partitions may include for example, foldable or collapsible doors configured to close-off an opening in order to enclose a room or to subdivide a single large room into one or more smaller rooms. The subdivision of one or more larger areas may be desired, for example, to accommodate the simultaneous meeting of multiple groups. In such applications movable partitions are useful for providing privacy and noise reduction.
For example, referring to FIG. 1, a movable or folding partition system 100 including one or more accordion-type doors 102A and 102B may be used to subdivide a space into multiple, smaller spaces. The doors 102A and 102B shown include a plurality of panels 104 which are connected to one another with hinges 106 or other hinge-like structures. The hinged connection of the panels 104 allows the panels to fold and stack adjacent one another such that the doors 102A and 102B may be compactly stored in pockets 108 formed in the walls 110 of a building when the doors 102A and 102B are in a retracted or folded state. When the doors 102A and 102B are deployed to subdivide an area, the doors 102A and 102B may be displaced along a track 112 to provide the desired barrier.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2A, two doors 102A and 102B may be utilized wherein each extends from its associated pocket 108 to cooperatively mate with one another. Referring to FIG. 2A, a cross-sectional view is shown of two doors 102A and 102B (each being shown in a folded state and recessed in pockets 108) which may be referred to as a bi-part configuration. The first door 102A includes a male lead post 114 which is configured to cooperatively mate with the female lead post 116 of the second door 102B when each door is properly extended.
Alternatively, the partition system 100 may comprise a single door which mates with a stationary structure to form a barrier. As shown in FIG. 2B, a single door 102A may include a male lead post 114 which is configured to mate with a female door post 116′ formed in a wall 110.
As can also be seen in FIG. 2B, an accordion-type door 102A may include a first accordion-style partition 118A and a second accordion-style partition 118B which is laterally spaced from, and substantially parallel with, the first partition 118A. Each of the two partitions 118A and 118B has a first end 120 structurally fixed to a floating jamb 122 which is movable within the pocket 108 and a second end 124 which is attached to the lead post 114. Such a configuration may be used, for example, as a sound barrier wherein the first partition 118A acts as a primary barrier, the second partition 118B acts as a secondary barrier, and the space 126 between the two partitions 118A and 118B acts as an insulator or a buffer zone.
In securing the two doors 102A and 102B to one another, a mechanical latch 128 has conventionally been used. For example, referring to FIGS. 3A, 3B and 4 in conjunction with FIG. 1, one or more latches 128 may be positioned at the leading edge of the lead post 114. When the two doors 102A and 102B are drawn together, the latch or latches 128 may be aligned with associated openings 130 in a front plate 134 (or other structure) of the corresponding female lead post 116 (or door post 116′) and inserted therethrough. A handle 132 or other structure may be mechanically coupled with the latches 128 such that actuation of the handle 132 results in a desired displacement of the latches 128. For example, vertical displacement of the handle 132 may result in the concurrent and proportional vertical displacement of the latches 128 such that the latches, having been inserted through the openings 130, are displaced relative the openings 130 and wedge against the back surface of the front plate 134 of the lead post 116 to effectively interlock therewith and prevent the two doors 102A and 102B from being displaced away from one another. The latches 128 may subsequently be displaced in an opposite direction to enable withdrawal of the latches 128 from the openings 130 and to allow the displacement of the two doors 102A and 102B away from each other so that they may each be retracted back into their associated pockets 108 for storing.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, latches 128 are conventionally formed as structural components, such as hooks or hook-like structures, which protrude from the leading edge of the lead post 114. Such a configuration is often considered unsightly when the doors 102A and 102B are not secured to one another in a closed or deployed state. Such structures can also be an injury hazard as they can catch on a person's clothing or body. Additionally, alignment of such latches 128 with corresponding openings 130, and displacement of the latches 128 once inserted with such openings often requires considerably more effort than might be expected and may be difficult to accomplish for individuals that don't exhibit substantial strength. For example, in larger structures where the height of the doors 102A and 102B are significant, and where multiple hooks are employed, it can sometimes be difficult to align each latch 128 with each corresponding opening 130 in both the longitudinal direction (i.e., along the direction in which the track 112 extends), in a lateral direction (i.e., a direction substantially transverse to the direction in which the track 112 extends) or both.
The present invention includes various embodiments of mechanisms and methods of securing movable partitions including securing individual components of movable partitions relative to one another or relative to another structure such as, for example, the wall of a building.